Sovngarde and Beyond
by TheNewIdea
Summary: Odahviing journeys with the Dragonborn to the realm of Aetherius to stop Alduin once and for all. With the Dragonborn on a murderous campaign to kill all dragons it seems that Odahviing's chances of survival after Alduin's defeat are non existent, his only hope is to win him over by doing anything that is necessary even risking his own hide.
1. Chapter 1

**Pronunciation**** of OC Names**

**Adaradax (Ad-r-rad-ax)**

Odahviing flew the skies of Skyrim towards Skuldafn, the Dragonborn on his back. Odahviing wondered why the Dragonborn wasn't enjoying the experience, for he was flying through the air on the back of a dragon and yet displayed no emotion, his face firm and eyes distant.

"You're quiet Dovahkiin" Odahviing replied, "Why so silent? Surely you're enjoying this, yes?"

The Dragonborn said nothing, Odahviing continued on, constantly thinking as to the reasoning behind the Dragonborn's silence. He guessed that it had something to do with Alduin, and if he voiced his opinion he would've discovered that he was correct and in more ways than one. The Dragonborn was not thinking just of Alduin, but of Odahviing and Paarthurnax and all the dragons in the known world. He would put them all to the sword, devour their souls and become the most powerful Dragonborn that ever lived.

"Did the Old One tell you of dragons and their love of speech?" Odahviing asked curiously, "Well it is as true for him as it is for me Dovahkiin. I haven't been with one of my own kind in...gods know how long, centuries I'd wager."

Odahviing hoped that this would be enough for the Dragonborn to start a conversation, it was not, the Nord kept his silence, slowly driving the dragon mad, but he did not air these feelings directly, for the last thing that Odahviing wanted to do was to upset the Dragonborn, who could turn on him in a second's notice. It would be a stupid thing for him to do at the moment, considering that they were miles in the air and if Odahviing were to die, the Dragonborn would fall to his certain and inevitable death, Alduin would devour the world and that would be it. There would be no story to tell, for Skyrim, Cyrodil and everything else would not exist.

"Dovahkiin" Odahviing began, "There's something you should know...during the war, I never meant to- do what I did. I killed thousands of people, innocent people. But I had little choice you see. It was kill or be killed and for some reason, I couldn't accept death. Maybe this world would be better if I did. I suppose it makes little difference, for I died anyway, but only after thousands of people who were doing nothing but living and going about their daily business did."

"Good" the Dragonborn answered, "You deserved what you got. You're a monster, you're all monsters."

"What is better Dovahkiin?" Odahviing replied, "To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"

The Dragonborn laughed sarcastically, "You sound a lot like Paarthurnax. In fact you sound exactly like him."

"Nay" Odahviing exclaimed, "Do not compare me to him! Paarthurnax is the better dovah by far. I should be lucky to be compared to...what are those annoying rats? Ah yes, you call them skeevers. I am of their kind if nothing else, nay even less. What do you think of me?"

The Dragonborn huffed as if he were insulted by the question, "What do I think of you?" he asked, "When this is over I'm putting you back in the ground. The age of dragons is over Odahviing, it's time for Men to rule Nirn once again."

Odahviing said nothing; he soon approached Skuldafn, landing at the safest place possible.

"This is as far as I can take you Dovahkiin" Odahviing said, a hint of sadness in his voice, "I pray for your return."

The Dragonborn stepped off of Odahviing and readied his bow, ignoring the dragon completely as he ventured on picking off the dragur that were stationed nearby. Odahviing, visibly hurt and wanting to say more did not move even though now the dragons that were guarding Skuldafn had begun to stir. Still Odahviing remained motionless, he continued to himself, imagining that the Dragonborn was still there.

"Kill Alduin and if it is your desire, I would be honored if you took my life, if it were to make you strong, to make the world better and for you to fulfill your destiny."

Odahviing watched as the Dragonborn finished off the dragur and went to attacking the first dragon. At this Odahviing took flight, for he did not wish to see one of his kin die in such a way. As he departed he could hear the Dragonborn shouting the other dragon to the ground. At the same time he also heard the voice of the dragon, it was faint and barely noticeable to other ears but to Odahviing it was as if he were standing right in front of it. Odahviing turned around and flew as fast as he could, hoping that he was not too late.

The Dragonborn was just about to finish him off when Odahviing landed in front of him.

"Stop Dovahkiin" Odahviing pleaded, "Do not kill him, please I beg of you."

The Dragonborn growled menacingly, "It tried to kill me. What do you think I'm going to do, let it go?"

"Yes" Odahviing continued, "He is my brother Dovahkiin, I beg you spare his life, he is not like the others."

The Dragonborn laughed sarcastically, "Then why is he here at Skuldafn then if he is not allied with Alduin? What the hell is he doing here?"

Odahviing's brother lifted his head and flashed his teeth, it was the best he could do in terms of a smile. "Peace Dovahkiin, peace. My name is Adaradax, I am a Priest of Akatosh."

The Dragonborn huffed in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me" he exclaimed, "A dragon priest who's an actual dragon? That's it, I've seen everything, no point in living."

The Dragonborn lifted his ax toward his own head, just as he was about to commit suicide Odahviing stopped him.

"You will do no such thing!" Odahviing screamed, "Not unless you want to be devoured just like everyone else. If you want the world to end fine, kill yourself. But some of us would like to continue breathing and for the world to exist and in order for that to happen that requires you getting to Sovngarde and killing Alduin."

The Dragonborn huffed at Odahviing's hypocrisy, for the dragon was distracting him from doing exactly that. Odahviing saw this and immediately picked the Dragonborn up by the nave of his neck and flew him to the top of the Temple just as the portal to Sovngarde opened.

"I just want you to know" Odahviing said as he purposefully loosened his grip, "That no matter what happens. Should you succeed or fail, it has been an honor Dovahkiin. My life has meaning once again and I have you to thank for it."

"What the hell are you doing?" the Dragonborn said, terrified and close to soiling his armor, "You're just going to drop me? I could die!"

"You're going to Sovngarde" Odahviing replied, "The land of the Nord dead, remember? You're not going to die."

The Dragonborn silently began to pray to himself, Odahviing never stopped to begin with. Odahviing dropped the Dragonborn into the portal just as it closed. The Dragon Priest Nahkriin, who was guarding the portal, looked on in confusion and wonder. Adaradax was behind him, silently waiting for the right moment for Nahkriin to turn around.

"There is only one Dragon Priest" Adaradax exclaimed, "And that's me."

Before Nahkriin could move Adaradax clamped down on him with his jaw. Adaradax then picked up Nahkriin's staff using telekinesis and placed it in its stand, opening the portal once more. Adaradax turned towards Odahviing.

"Follow him brother" Adaradax said with a smile," He's going to need all the help he can get!"

Odahviing nodded and let out a shout of gratitude towards Adaradax, who said nothing and only turned towards fighting the dragur who remained at Skuldafn as Odahviing passed through the portal into the realm of Aetherius.


	2. Chapter 2

Alduin was sitting on a mountain in Sovngarde, resting from his recent soul binge. He was almost at his full strength once again, a few souls more and he would return to Tamriel and destroy it.

"The fires of Men shall be extinguished" Alduin said to himself, "The gods will regret what they did to me. They will be ones to know fear, true fear. I am the World-Eater; I am the Bringer of Life to my kind. It is because of me that dragons continue to exist. Paarthurnax is a fool if he believes that his Way of the Voice will cause any of them to turn against me. There is only one Lord of the Dragons and that is me."

In the valley below, Kodlak Whitemane, the late Harbinger of the Companions was tied to a chain gang working with a pickaxe mining ore for the sake of mining ore. Alduin had enslaved the souls that he deemed powerful, those that he wanted to save for when he needed them most. There were several of these lines, every two weeks or so, Alduin would eliminate one of them, there were ten souls in the smallest line and up to forty in the largest. Kodlak was in one of the larger lines; next to him were Farkas and Vilkas, who died together fighting Alduin at the Throat of the World with the Dragonborn. Next to Vilkas, who was further down the line was Ralof and Hadvar, both of them meeting their fates in the civil war that remains currently unresolved.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Vilkas asked to no one in particular, "Is he going to eat us?"

"The World-Eater is strong" Kodlak answered, "It will be extremely difficult for the Dragonborn to kill him now. He will need the strength of a thousand of him in order to kill him."

"There must be something we can do" Ralof exclaimed, "I will not sit here mining iron for no reason. I will not die, not in Sovngarde, not here."

Hadvar nodded in agreement, "Ralof is right, it's time that we act. The Dragonborn won't be the only one who earns glory in Alduin's defeat. I say we lend a helping hand."

Alduin appeared, silent and dark as a shadow with no owner, a phantom born in Oblivion to bring about a curse, a poison to the world.

"Planning a little uprising are we?" Alduin said mockingly, "How cute. The mortals believe that they can stop me. You will get what you deserve soon enough. I'm sure that I do not have to explain it to you. You've seen the others, look at the chains in front of you, how empty they are. That is your fate, your inevitable fate."

"Why are you doing this?" Kodlak asked partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear, "What can you possibly gain?"

Alduin laughed, to say that he was insulted was an understatement. He slapped Kodlak in the face with his right wing and gave his answer.

"Revenge you simpleton, it always comes down to revenge. The gods thought themselves high and mighty when they struck me and my kind down. We were created to dominate, a cruel thing to be created for. We sought power because it was all that we knew how to do, and yet in our struggle for it they had the audacity to stop us from doing what we were made to do. That was the beginning of the Dragon War you see, as a revolution against those who created us, to defy our makers and make our own destiny. To dominate, to destroy, to wallow in the fires of Hell where a new race populates the earth with our unions, to drink the finest ales as we sit upon the bones of Men while those we kept alive do our bidding, that was the purpose, the destiny of the dovah. To destroy the world and all who inhabit it so that the wicked creation of Man will end and the purity of the dovah will live in eternity."

Farkas growled, "Don't you see?" he began, "Do you have any idea as to what that would bring? If you kill us there would be nothing left for you to dominate. It is pointless, all of it!"

Alduin shook his head, "You think that we were made to dominate humans? No. We were meant to dominate the world, by cleansing it of all impurities. Man is a disease and for any race to survive, disease must be stamped out. Accept it swine!"

"Never" Farkas replied, "I'll never accept it. You think that you can just do whatever you want with us? That you can just kill us and throw us away as if we don't matter. Well I got news for you, we do matter and we're sick and tired of you telling us what we can and can't do-"

Farkas never finished his sentence, for once swipe of Alduin's claw ended him, his soul devoured by the dragon, further feeding his ever growing power.

"I suggest Kodlak that you tell your pitiful Companions to hold their tongues if they want to stay alive for as long as possible" Alduin said as he walked away, "I have been patient with you because you are the only one who can keep these rabble in line. Either do what you're supposed to or I devour you all!"

Kodlak nodded as Alduin walked away. He said nothing, but his heart was grieving for Farkas, Vilkas stopped digging, he could not bare the weight of losing his brother, for even in death they went out together.

"Do not worry Vilkas" Kodlak said encouragingly, "Farkas will be avenged, as soon as the Dragonborn arrives all will be well."

Vilkas laughed, "Don't be sure of that sir" he replied, "I've traveled with him. Seen how he is...he's not exactly the greatest Nord in history, hardly even worthy of being called Dragonborn if you ask me. Led Farkas and I to our deaths with that dragon"

Alduin appeared again, this time behind Vilkas, causing the Nord to stop midsentence.

"Don't think that I've forgotten about you Vilkas" Alduin sneered, "I've got a special surprise for you. A very special surprise indeed, wouldn't want it going to waste."

Vilkas shuddered, the very thought of Alduin sent a shiver up his spine.

"Especially after your failed attempt at killing me" Alduin continued, "Brave though it was, it was arrogant and yet you did it anyway. Why? Was it because you were loyal to him? Because of an oath! Or perhaps something more?"

Vilkas said nothing; he only hung his head down and resumed digging the useless ore.

"Ah I can smell the fear in you yet!" Alduin exclaimed with excitement, "I sense guilt, shame and...There it is. Oh you sly hound you"

Alduin began to laugh, it was everything that you would expect from Alduin, insulting is too nice of a word to describe it.

"Y-y-y-you loved him!" Alduin said through his tears, "You actually loved him!"

Alduin composed himself; he leaned in, his voice becoming sinister and devious once more.

"You dreamed of nights of passion. Of...what is this?"

Alduin stopped and stared at Vilkas with confusion and amazement, this was soon replaced with a harrowing thought, for the first time Alduin felt fear, true fear as he realized that he had crossed a line.

"You're Hircine's boy aren't you?" Alduin continued, shocked at what he had done, "And I...devoured Farkas, your brother. Who was also...Hircine's boy."

Alduin let out a sigh, it was one of pity. Kodlak, Hadvar and Ralof looked at the dragon in complete disbelief, for Alduin looked regretful, as if everything up to this moment had been for nothing. This was not the case, but it was a thought and a pleasant one for the Nords, keeping their spirits high.

"Hircine will not be pleased" Alduin said to himself, "The Daedric Lords shall rise against me. I cannot let that happen. I've come too far, suffered for too long to simply be taken down again. No. I shall not be the weak link, not this time."

Alduin took to the sky and went back to his perch, no longer caring if the slaves worked or not. At that moment the Dragonborn walked up, axe in one hand and shield in the other.

Kodlak, Hadvar and Ralof looked towards him, Vilkas did not. Vilkas kept his eyes on the ore and continued working.

"Kodlak?" the Dragonborn exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

Kodlak gave the Dragonborn a dead pan response, "Don't you remember?" he asked, "I died by the Sliver Hand. You and Vilkas avenged me and did the ritual at Ysgramor's Tomb."

The Dragonborn searched his memory, it was slowly coming back to him, "Oh yeah" he said to no one in particular, "It has been a couple days since then. Can't remember everything you know."

"Are you kidding me?" Kodlak said with a sarcastic laugh, "I'm the Harbinger of the Companions, your Harbinger and you can forget me like that? So what you come to Sovngarde and suddenly you remember just because I'm here."

The Dragonborn looked at Vilkas, "You're here?" he said, "But you were never cured of lycanthropy? How is that possible?"

Vilkas laughed in response and answered him, "The gods blessed me, split Farkas and I from the beast upon death. Hircine only gets the body but no soul, without the soul werewolves are mindless beings, just like any other creature and completely useless to him."

The Dragonborn nodded in understanding and said nothing more, he walked off to find Alduin. Ralof and Hadvar stared at each other and then at the Dragonborn with confused looks.

"He's just going to leave us like this!" Ralof screamed, "We're your friends you asshole!"

The Dragonborn did not answer him, too focused on finding Alduin. Ralof huffed. Hadvar shook his head and reached for the release, it was extremely heavy, only Alduin or another dragon could lift it.

"Damn it!" Hadvar said helplessly, "It's impossible to lift...damn thing buried in the ground!"

Kodlak hung his head, "Stand firm lads. Rescue will come soon enough."

Odahviing landed in a different part of Sovngarde, near the Hall of Valor. Tsun was standing guard at the Whalebone Bridge like he usually was when Odahviing appeared, practically falling out of the sky, his wings becoming numb as he passed through the portal.

Tsun readied his weapon and walked slowly towards Odahviing, who turned towards Tsun and immediately bowed his head as low as he could to show submission.

"Peace Gatekeeper" Odahviing began, "I come for the World-Eater. His reign must end today. Gather all of those in the Hall of Valor, they will be needed."

Tsun sighed and shook his head, "The Hall of Valor is empty. Alduin has enslaved everyone that is still alive, everyone else is dead, it is too late noble dragon. You have failed. Alduin has won."

Odahviing turned towards the fields, they were covered in mist. Odahviing shook himself as if he were a dog shaking off water. He then used the shout that Paarthurnax bestowed upon him, Clear Skies, as loudly as he possibly could. But this was not enough, for as soon as Odahviing cleared a large section of the valley, revealing most of the captives, Alduin simply covered it back up in the showering mist. Odahviing looked up towards the sky where he came and did the only thing he could do.

"Adaradax" Odahviing called, "I call you in my hour of need! Hear my voice and come forth!"

Adaradax, as if by coincidence or by Odahviing's call, appeared instantly towards the top of the portal. On his back he was carrying Ghorbash the Iron Hand, J'Zhargo, Scouts-Many-Marshes, Brelyna Marion, Brynjolf, Delvin Mallory, Ulfric Stormcloak, General Tullius, Legate Rikke and Jarl Balgruuf the Greater.

"I see you've brought some friends" Odahviing replied as Adaradax drew closer and finally landed, letting his passengers off.

"Alduin is stronger than we think" Adaradax explained, "We're going to need an army now."

Odahviing looked at the ten passengers; all of them appeared battle ready, carrying various weapons. Brynjolf, Delvin and Scouts-Many-Marshes were carrying daggers. Ghorbash and Balgruuf had war axes, Ulfric and Rikke were armed with greatswords, Tullius had his sword and J'Zhargo and Brelyna had their magic as well as bow and arrow should the need arise, if this were to fail they fall back to daggers with Brynjolf, Devlin and Scouts.

"What's the plan?" Ulfric asked, taking chain of command

"Kill Alduin" Odahviing answered, "And anything that tries to kill you."

Ulfric nodded and attempted to relay this information to Tullius, but he only groaned in response, he obviously did not like this arrangement but he would do anything in his power to stop the World-Eater at this point, even go to Sovngarde, which he didn't even believe in before today.

Adaradax hung his head and gave a short dedication, "May Akatosh's grace and divinity guide us to the path of understanding."

All of them said their own version of Amen and headed towards the fields, Odahviing and Adaradax taking to the skies to get a better handle on the situation. Together they shouted the mist back using Clear Skies, revealing the thousands upon thousands that were imprisoned, at the same time it gave away their own position to Alduin, who could be seen clearly sitting on a mountaintop that overlooked everything. Alduin nodded and gave a deep sigh, for the last thing that he wanted to do was wage war against Odahviing, but it had come to that. Alduin raised his head and called upon his Army of the Damned, comprised of the souls that he had taken. It numbered in the millions, all of them in service to Alduin. At the first word they would charge and kill the captives, which would immediately bring their souls to Alduin, bringing him to the status of a god in terms of strength, he would be impossible to kill.

Alduin gave the command for the army to charge, at this Odahviing and Adaradax began flying low, releasing the locks at the end of the lines, upon freedom the captives brandished the weapons that they had died with, if they did not die in battle they were automatically given gifts from Shor, if they were weak, strength flowed through them, encouraged by their numbers and the desire to be free from Alduin's grasp. They charged towards the oncoming onslaught and into Nordic legend. The Battle of Sovngarde had begun.


End file.
